Direct action shutter control with surge pressure protector



Nov. 18, 1947. s. c. WARRICK ETAL DIRECT ACTION SHUTTER CON TROL WITHSURGE PRESSURE PROTECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 9, 1944 rd C. Wurric K,

I Harold Cruzan Patented Nov. 18, 1947 DIRECT ACTION SHUTTER CONTROLWITH SURGE PRESSURE PROTECTOR Edward C. Wax-rick, Cincinnati, Ohio, andHarold Cruzan, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors to United AircraftProducts, Inc., Dayton, Ohio, at corporation of Ohio Application June 9,1944, Serial No. 539,567

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a direct action shutter control with surgepressure protection such as is disclosed in an application for UnitedStates Letters Patent, Serial Number 455,820, filed August 22, 1942, forAutomatic oil conditioner, now Patent No. 2,406,203, dated August 20,1946, of which this application is a continuation-in-part, and moreparticularly to an apparatus for regulating the temperature oflubricants and thereby controlling the flow thereof in pressure systemsfor lubricating the power plants of aircraft, armored vehicles or otherconveyances, although the same is not restricted to such specific use.

Low atmospheric temperatures cause an increase in viscosity of thelubricant and consequently a rapid build-up of pressure in the systemfar beyond normal requirements necessary to move the lubricanttherethrough, which frequently results in considerable damage to if nottotal failure of the system.

Under certain conditions, such as in modern warfare, it is vitallyimportant that the power plants of the various vehicles or conveyancesbe ready for instantaneous use regardless of the condition of thelubricant, due to atmospheric temperature changes. portant when itbecomes necessary to place' an aircraft into immediate operation from aso- .called cold start in freezing or sub-freezing temperatures.

Another situation where the condition of a lubricant is of vitalimportance is in the operation of dive bombing. In this operation thedive is often started at extremely high altitudes with the motor cut outresulting in'a cooling of the lubricant and consequently a rapidincrease in the viscosity thereof. When the operator reaches a pointwhere it is necessary to pull-out of the dive a sudden starting of themotor places the lubricant in the system under sudden and extremely highpressure which also quite often results in considerable damage andfailure of the oil line.

In order to overcome the foregoing and other objections anddisadvantages which are frequently encountered at the present time, itis the primary or important object of this invention to provide anapparatus of the above character which will automatically and rapidlycondition a lubricant, as to viscosity, regardless of varyingtemperature changes before the same is forced through the system.

Another important object of this invention is to provide an apparatus ofthe above character This is particularly imwhich will automaticallyprevent the flow of lubricant through the system until the same has beenbrought to a predetermined condition of viscosity.

Another important object of this invention is to provide an apparatus ofthe above character which will automatically prevent the application ofexcessive pressure to the lubricating system.

Another important aim of this invention is to provide an apparatus ofthe above character in which a lubricant is brought to a predeterminedcondition as to viscosity through a direct and indirect exchange of heatand thereafter maintained in such predetermined condition irrespectiveof variation in temperature of a cooling medium.

A further important object of this invention is to provide an apparatusof the above character in which the lubricating system is positivelyprotected from damage resulting from high pressures therein, bysubstantially eliminating the sudden pressure drop which usually occursin similar devices of present day use.

A still further important object of this invention is to provide anapparatus of the above character which is of simple construction, highlyemcient in use, and one that can be readily and quickly manufactured andinstalled at a reasonable cost.

The foregoing and additional objects and advantages will be readilyapparent throughout the course of the following description anddrawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention,showing particularly an oil temperature regulator provided withautomatic means for controlling the flow of a coolant mediumtherethrough.

, Figure 2 is a schematic drawing showing the lubricating systemutilized in connection with an internal combustion engine, and includingthis invention as a part of such system.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section view of the invention.

Figure 4 is a vertical cross sectional view, showing particularly themeans for regulating the flow of coolant medium in response to thetemperature of the lubricant.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the automatic oil conditionerincludes a horizontally disposed cylindrical casing I, having its bottomportion formed with an aperture 2 located intermediate the ends thereof.Secured to the external face of the casing and surrounding the aperture2 is a flanged ring 3 formed to detachably receive a threaded drain plIntegrally fastened to the inner surface of the bottom portion of thecasing, adjacent each of its ends, as by silver, solder, welding or thelike is an inwardly facing channeled supporting member preferably havinga flat top and a 5 curved bottom to conform to the curvature of thecasing,

Mounted within the casing I, is a series of vertically spaced andaxially extending baiiie plates 6, 1,8, 9, 6', 1', 8', and 8". Thelowermost baffle 10 plate 6 of the series, has its end portions seatedupon and connected to the supporting members 5, and its longitudinalside edges connected to the casing, so as to provide a lower header orcompartment l8, while the baiiies I, 8, 8, 6', I,

8, 8' and 9" have their longitudinal side edges connected to the casingso as to provide compartments or chambers ll l2, l3, 14, ll', l2, l3, l4and I4". It is to be understood that any desirable number ofhorizontally extending baifie plates may be used.

The baflie plates and the top of the casing are each provided with ahorizontally extending centrally disposed row of spaced openings invertical alinement or registry with each other so as to receive a bankor group of inlet warm-up tubes I5 and a bank or group of outlet warm-uptubes Hi. The upper ends of the warm-up tubes terminate a slightdistance above the top of the casing for a purpose to be hereinaftermore fully described, while lower ends thereof extend a slight distanceinto the header or compartment l0.

Mounted within the casing between the baffle plates and to either sideof the warm-up tubes are a plurality of open ended tubes I58 extendingin a direction normal to the longitudinal axes of the tubes l5 and I6for the passage of air or other coolant. The flared ends of the tubes Iare substantially hexagonal shaped and are con- 40 some of the air flowtubes, and fragments of so others, are shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The battle plates are each provided at one of their ends with atransversely extending row of spaced elongated openings l8, which areoffings in the next adjacent plate or plates so as to provide a zig-zagor otherwise tortuous path for a lubricant flowing through the casing.

The inlet and outlet warm-up tubes [5 and I6 are each further providedwith a plurality of o0 perforations 20, whereby a portion of thelubricant flowing through the inlet and outlet warmup tubes will beadmitted at spaced points to the main body of the lubricant within thecasing.

The top of the casing l is also provided with elongated openings 2|, toeither side of and adj acent to the outlet warm-up tubes and are ofi-setwith respect to the similarly shaped openings in the uppermost bailleplate, (Figure 4).

A lubricant distributing head is securely is in the form of asubstantially rectangular rela- It will be 45 tively shallow pan-likebody having a bottom wall 25, side walls 28, and end walls 21, Thebottom wall 25 is provided with a longitudinally arranged row of spacedopenings into which the upper ends of the warm-up tubes extend, thelatter being connected to the base section 22 by a solder, welding orthe like. The bottom of the base section is further formed with a pairof spaced openings 28 corresponding to and in vertical registry with theopenings 2| in the casing (Figure 4) Formed integral with the bottom andside walls of the base section so as to separate the upper ends of theinlet and outlet tubes from each other is a vertically extendingpartition of substantially V-form when viewed in plan. Disposed oneither side of the upper ends of the outlet warm-up tubes i8 is avertical partition 30, formed integral with the bottom, side and endwalls of the base section so as to separate the outlet warm-up tubesfrom the side walls 26 and openings 28. The intermediate section 23 ofthe lubricant distributing head includes a top wall 3|, a side wall 32and end walls 33. The top wall 3| is formed with a pair of spaced outletports 34 and 35, while one end wall 33 is formed with a ported neck 36to provide an inlet passage for the lubricant flowing into theconditioner.

Formed integral with the intermediate section and overlying a portion ofthe warm-up tubes, is a substantially horizontally extending downwardlyfacing cup-like partition 31. The top wall of the partition 31 isarranged to lie in a position intermediate the top wall 3| and thebottom edge of the intermediate section and has its walls and bottomedge of substantially V formation so as to merge with and form acontinuation of the partition carried by the base section, to therebyprovide separate passages for the lubricant flowing into and out of theconditioner.

At its opposite end the intermediate section is provided with a pair ofdependent inwardly divergent partitions 38 connected to the side and endwalls 32 and 33 respectively, which form vertical continuations of thepartitions 38 formed in the base section. Formed integral with the topwall 3| and connecting the partitions 38 so as to underlie th outletport 35 is a horizontal partition 39 which forms together with the topwall and the divergent partitions 38 a barrier which prevents the directpassage of lubricant from the outlet warm-up tubes IE to and through theoutlet port 35. Otherwise stated, any lubricant flowing upwardly throughthe warm-up tubes Hi will be directed by the divergent partitions 38 andset or staggered with respect to the similar open- 55 the horizontalpartition 39 toward and through the outlet port 34.

Detachably secured upon the intermediate section 23 is the top or coversection 24 formed to'provide a bottom wall 40, side walls 4!, end wall42 and top wall 43. The bottom wall 40 is formed with a pair of openings44 and 45 to respectively register with the outlet ports 34 and 35 ofthe intermediate section 23, the openings 44 and 45 being tapered toprovide valve seats. The top wall 43 is provided with openings 48 and46' in vertical register with the openings 34, 44, and 35, 45, areformed to detachably receive threaded plugs 41 and 41' having downwardlyopening sleeves 48 and 48 formed integral therewith.

Slidably mounted within the sleeves 48 and 48' are the stems 49 and 43'of a valve 50 and 50'. When the plugs 41 and 41 are secured within theopenings 46 and 48' the valves 50 and 58' are normally and yieldablyheld upon their seats by to the reservoir by means of a second orscavenge pump.

In'the event it is necessary to place the engine in operation when thelubricant is highly viscous or frozen, such condition imposes anexcessive pressure upon the return line with the result that seriousdamage may be done to the entire system.

In order to overcome any damage which might result from the highlyviscous state of the lubricant under normal operating conditions, as setforth, it is proposed to place the automatic oil conditioner forming thesubject matter of this application in the oil return conduit, betweenthe scavenge pump A and the reservoir 13, through the inlet and outletports 36 and 52 respectively.

In operation, lubricant under pressure is forced into the fluiddistributing head through the inlet 36 as indicated by the arrow inFigure 2. If the lubricant is highly viscous or congealed, the pressurenecessary to force the same between the horizontally disposed coolanttubes I50, is greater than that required to force the lubricant throughthe warm-up tubes l5 and ii. In this event, the lubricant flowsdownwardly through the inlet warm-up tubes l5 into the lower compartmentor header I ll, through the latter and thence upwardly through theoutlet warm-up tubes I6, in the direction of the solid arrows, towardand against the valve 50. If the resistance offered by the congealedliquid is greater than the resistance of spring 5| acting on valve 50,the valve 50 will be forced open allowing the lubricant to be returnedto the reservoir through the outlet port 52.'-'In the case of athermostatic valve, the combined pressure and temperature of thelubricant will open the valve to permit the passage thereof to theoutlet port 52. At this point it is to be particularly noted that theperiorations or by-passes 20, which are preferably provided on each sideof each of the tubes, permit the warm or hot lubricant flowing throughthe tubes l5 and I6 to be directly diffused through the lubricant in themain body of the conditioner regardless of whether the lubricantcontained therein is highly viscous or not. Thus in the event thelubricant in the main body of the conditioner is highly viscous, thetubes I5 and i6 act as warm-up passes as well as passes having lessrestriction to flow. Flow of lubricant through these tubes warms up thelubricant in the main body of the conditioner by direct diffusion aswell as by heat transfer through the tube walls, such warm-up of thelubricant continuing until the pressure necessary to force the lubricantin the zig-zag or tortuous path, through the core is less than thatnecessary to overcome the resistance of the valve 50, regardless ofwhether the same is spring biased or of the thermostatic type. At thistime, instead of the lubricant flowing upwardly through the tubes l6 ashereinbefore described, same will flow downwardly through the tubes l5into and through the header III and thence, will follow a zig-zag ortortuous path back and forth across l5 and thence through the bailledpassagesto- 6 the length of the conditioner through the baflled sectionsand passages 2l--28, 85, 45, as indicated by the dotted arrows, to theoutlet port 52 leading to the reservoir. I

However, when the oil flows through the tubes the openings 35, 45, thevalve 50' will be opened by the pressure of the oil, 'it beingunderstood that the spring 5|" is of relatively low resistance tocompression.

For contact of the coolant medium in accordance with the temperature ofthe lubricant and the requirements for cooling thereof, means areprovided for permitting more or less air to flow through the horizontaltubes I50. Such means consists of vanes 53 mounted in a frame or shell54 and turning in bearings 55. Vanes 53 are interconnected by linkage ontheir under side in such manner that tumlng of the onevane .will producecorresponding turning movement of the remaining vanes in order to obtainmore or less flow of coolant air through the horizontal tubes andthereby obtain more or less cooling of the oil or lubricant flowingaround the horizontal tubes. The linkage may be mounted either on thefront or rear surfaces of the vanes, and, as shown in Fig. 1, comprisescurved-arms 53', secured to the respective vanes and pivotally connectedto a transverse link 53".

In order to operate the shutter vanes automatically in accordance withthe temperature and cooling requirements of the oil or lubricant, athermostatic element 56 is disposed in the passage leading from thebailled passages of the body to the openings 35, 45, and so located thatit will only be affected by that oil or lubricant which flows throughthe bailied passages. Valve effectively denies access to the thermostat56 of oil flowing to the outlet 52 by way of by-pass conduits l6 andassociated passages in the distributing head. A rack bar 31 adapted tobe moved longitudinally by expansion and contraction of the thermostaticelements 56 is mounted in bearings 58 and 59 and coacts with a pinion 60rigidly mounted on one end of a shaft 6| supported in bearings 62 torotate such shaft. Secured to the end of shaft 6| opposite that end onwhich the pinion 60 is mounted is another pinion 63 which is in meshingrelation with a pinion 64 mounted on a shaft 65 which rotates in one ofthe bearings 55 and which is rigidly secured to the central one of thevanes 53. A spring 66 is provided which may assist in returning thethermostatic element 55 to full contracted position after suchthermostatic element has expanded. As shown in Fig. 4, the spring 66extends through an opening in the wall of intermediate section 23 toengage a piston like extension of the thermostat 56, the opening insection 23 being closed by a cap providing a seat for the spring 66. Thespring 65 normally holds such piston like extension as a fixed base foroperation of the thermostat but will yield to permit overexpansion. Thusshould the oil temperature continue to rise above a value at which theshutters are fully open, further expansion of" the thermostat ispermitted by yielding of the or lubricant flows out of the body afterpassing through the bailled passages.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention, or thescope of the subioined claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. An apparatus for automatically controlling the viscosity of a liquidwhich is subjected to varying temperature changes, including a casinghaving an outlet, a plurality oI'open-ended tubes within the casing forthe passage of a coolant therethrough and for the passage therearound ofthe liquid to be controlled, a plurality of inlet and outlet warm-uptubes in the casing, the ends of which warm-up tubes are open, and thelower ends being spaced from the casing bottom and having communicationwith the casing, said warm up tubes being spaced apart to permit a .flowof liquid therebetween exteriorly a liquid distributing head having aninlet and an outlet carried by the casing and overlying the warm-uptubes and casing outlet and in communication therewith, saiddistributing head having a passage for the liquid flowing from theoutlet warmup tubes to the outlet of said head and a second passage forthe liquid flowing from the casing to the outlet of said head, and valvemeans disposed within the first-named liquid passage of the distributinghead and biased to closed position to control the passage of liquidtherethrough, and means including a temperature responsive element inthe second named liquid passage of the distributing head for controllingthe flow of coolant through the open-ended tubes in accordance with thetemperature of the liquid in said second named passage.

2. An apparatus for automatically controlling the viscosity of a liquidwhich is subjected to varying temperature changes, including a casinghaving an outlet, a plurality oi'. open-ended tubes within the casingfor the pasage of a coolant therethrough and for the passage therearoundof the liquid to be controlled, a plurality oi! inlet and outlet warm-uptubes in the casing, the ends of which warm-up tubes are open, and thelower ends being spaced from the casing bottom and having communicationwith the casing, said warm up tubes being spaced apart to permit a flowof liquid therebetween exteriorly liquid distributing means having aninlet and an outlet carried by the casing and overlying the warm-uptubes and casing outlet and in communication therewith, saiddistributing means having a passage for the liquid flowing from theoutlet warm-up tubes to the outlet of said means and a second passagefor the liquid flowing from the casing to the outlet of said means, andmeans disposed within the first-named liquid passage of the distributingmeans and biased to closed position to control the passage of liquidtherethrough, and means including a temperature responsive element inthe second named liquid passage of the distributing head for controllingthe flow of coolant through the open-ended tubes in accordance with thetemperature of the liquid in said second named pasage.

3. An apparatus for automatically controlling the viscosity of a liquidwhich is subjected to varying temperature changes, including a casing 8having an outlet, a plurality of open-ended tubes within the casing forthe passage of a coolant therethrough and for the passage therearound ofthe liquid to be controlled, a plurality of inlet and outlet warm-uptubes in the casing, the ends of which warm-up tubes are open, and thelower -ends being spaced from the casing bottom and having communicationwith the casing, said warm-up tubes each being formed with a pluralityof spaced lateral openings in communication with the casing, saidwarm-up tubes being spaced apart to permit a flow of liquid therebetweenexteriorly a liquid distributing head having an inlet and an outletcarried by the casing and overlying the warm-up tubes and casing outletand in communication therewith, said distributing head having a passagefor the liquid flowing from the outlet warm-up tubes to the outlet ofsaid head and a second passage for the liquid flowing from the casing tothe outlet of said head. and valve means disposed within the firstnamedliquid pasage of the distributing head and biased to closed position tocontrol the passage of liquid therethrough, and means including atemperature responsive element in the second named liquid passage of thedistributing head for controlling the flow of coolant through theopen-ended tubes in accordance with the temperature of the liquid insaid second named passage.

4. An apparatus for automatically controlling the viscosity of a liquidwhich is subjected to varying temperature changes, including a casinghaving an outlet, a plurality of open-ended tubes within the casing forthe passage of a coolant therethrough and for the passage therearound ofthe liquid to be controlled, a plurality of inlet and outlet warm-uptubes in the casing, the ends of which warm-up tubes are open, and thelower ends being spaced from the casing bottom and having communicationwith the casing, said warm-up tubes each being formed with a pluralityof spaced lateral openings in communication with the caslng, saidwarm-up tubes being spaced apart to permit a flow of liquid therebetweenexteriorly a liquid distributing means having an inlet and an outletcarried by the casing and overlying the warm-up tubes and easing outletand in communication therewith, said distributing means having a passagefor the liquid flowing from the outlet warm-up tubes to the outlet ofsaid means and a second passage for the liquid flowing from the casingto the outlet of said means, and means disposed within the first-namedliquid passage of the distributing means and biased to closed positionto control the passage of liquid therethrough, and means including atemperature responsive element in the second named liquid passage of thedistributing head for controlling the flow of coolant through theopen-ended tubes in accordance with the temperature of the liquid insaid second named passage.

5. An apparatus for automatically controlling the viscosity of a liquidwhich is subjected to varying temperature changes, including a casinghaving an outlet, a plurality of open-ended tubes within the casing forthe passage of a coolant therethrough and for the passage therearound ofthe liquid to be controlled, a plurality of inlet and outlet warm-uptubes in the casing disposed centrally of the coolant tubes andangularly disposed relative to the later, the ends of which warm-uptubes are open, and the lower ends being spaced from the casing bottomand having communication with the casing, said warm-up tubes beingspaced apart to permit a flow of liquid therebetween exteriorly a liquiddistributing head having an inlet and an outlet carried by the casingand overlying the Warm-up tubes and easing outlet and in communicationtherewith, said distributing head having a passage for the liquidflowing from the outlet Warm-up tubes to the outlet of said head and asecond passage for the liquid flowing from the casing to the outlet ofsaid head, and valve means disposed within the first-named liquidpassage of the distributing head and biased to closed position tocontrol the passage of liquid therethrough, and means including atemperature responsive element in the second named liquid passage of thedistributing head for controlling the flow of coolant through theopen-ended tubes in accordance with the temperature of the liquid insaid second named passage.

6. An apparatus for automatically controlling the viscosity of a liquidwhich is subjected to varying temperature changes, including a casinghaving an outlet, a plurality of open-ended tubes within the casing forthe passage of a coolant therethrough and for the passage therearound ofthe liquid to be controlled, a plurality of inlet and outlet warm-uptubes in the casing disposed centrally of the coolant tubes andangularly disposed relative to the latter, the ends of which warm-uptubes are open, and lower ends being spaced from the casing bottom andhaving com munication with the casing, said warm-up tubes being spacedapart to permit a flow of liquid therebetween exteriorly liquiddistributing means and having an inlet and an outlet carried by thecasing and overlying the warm-up tubes and easing outlet and incommunication therewith, said distributing means having a passage forthe liquid flowing from the outlet warm-up tubes to the outlet of saidmeans and a second passage for the liquid flowing from the casing to theoutlet of said means, and means disposed'within the first named liquidpassage of the distributing means and biased to closed positiontocontrol the passage of liquid therethrough, and means including atemperature responsive element in the second named liquid passage of thedistributing head for controlling the flow of coolant through theopen-ended tubes in accordance with the temperature of the liquid insaid second named passage.

7. An apparatus for automatically controlling the viscosity of a liquidwhich is subjected to varying temperature changes including a casinghaving an outlet, a partition spaced from and connected to the lowerportion of the casing to provide a header, said header having an openingin communication with the interior of the casing, a plurality ofopen-ended tubes within the casing for the passage of a coolanttherethrough and for the passage therearound of the liquid to becontrolled, a plurality of inlet and outlet warmup tubes in the casing,the ends of which warmup tubes are open and have their lower endsextending through the partition into the header so as to communicatewith the latter, said warmup tubes being spaced apart to permit a flowof liquid therebetween exteriorly a liquid distributing head having aninlet and an outlet carried by the casing and overlying the warm-uptubes and casing outlet and in communication therewith, saiddistributing head having a passage for the liquid flowing from theoutlet warm-up tubes to the outlet of said head and a second passage forthe liquid flowing from the casing to the outlet of said head, and Valvemeans disposed within the first-named liquid passage of the distributinghead and biased to closed position to control the passage of liquidtherethrough, and means including a temperature responsive element inthe second named liquid passage of the distributing head for controllingthe flow of coolant through the open-ended tubes in accordance with thetemperature of the liquid in said second named psasage.

8. An apparatus for automatically controlling the viscosity of a liquidwhich is subjected to varying temperature changes, including a casinghaving an outlet, a spaced conduit within the casing for the passage ofa coolant therethrough and for the passage therearound of the liquid tobe controlled, a pair of inlet and outlet warm-up conduits in thecasing, the outer ends of which warm-up conduits are open and the innerends being spaced from the casing and having communication with thelatter, said Warm-up tubes being spaced apart to permit a flow of liquidtherebetween exteriorly liquid distributing means having an inlet and anoutlet carried by the casing and overlying the warm-up conduits andcasing outlet and in communication therewith, said distributing meanshaving a passage for the liquid flowing from the outlet warm-up conduitsto the outlet of the distributing means and a second passage for theliquid flowing from the casing to the outlet of said means, and meansdisposed within the first named liquid passage of the distributing meansand biased to closed position to control the passage of liquidtherethrough, and means including a temperature responsive element inthe second named liquid passage of the distributing head for controllingthe flow of coolant through the open-ended tubes in accordance with thetemperature of the liquid in said second named passage.

EDWARD C. WARRICK. HAROLD CRUZAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,913,680 McCray June 13, 19331,992,796 Young Feb. 26, 1935 2,007,590 Baillio July 9, 1935 2,222,496Belaieff Nov. 19, 1940 2,288,599 Ramsaur July 7, 1942 2,343,867 HoffmanMar.14, 1944 2,348,212 Gill May 9, 1944 2,368,182 Vernet Jan. 30, 1945FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 460,047 Great Britain Jan. 20, 1937

